"Big Bavaria!" exclaimed Bild in response to Bayern Munich's 3-1 victory over Arsenal. The tabloid, much like most other newspapers in Germany, was full of praise for Jupp Heynckes' side's performance, and used the win as an excuse to get one over on the English. "Queen, did you see that? The Bavarians are the kings of London!" wrote Felix Seidel. "In the Bundesliga, Bayern are already unstoppable. Now they are big in Europe."

That was a sentiment also reflected in Der Spiegel. "Bayern Munich have confidently won at Arsenal and can now plan for the quarter-finals," predicted the magazine. "The club sees no reason for the trauma of last season."

The English-language newspaper Munich Eye's match report contained a simple headline – "Bayern in Kroos control". Jonathan Harding suggested the victory provided evidence that they are ready to make a big impact in the Champions League. "For Bayern, progressing is not the issue. Winning it is," he wrote. "Performances like this certainly suggest they are capable of reaching their third final in four years."

Writing in Süddeutsche Zeitung, Carsten Eberts offered the same thought. "After the success against Arsenal, Bayern Munich feels great. The time of restraint is over: the club is ready for another entry into the Champions League final."

The only low note of Bayern's win as far as the press was concerned was the scrappy manner in which they allowed Arsenal to score. Der Spiegel was in no doubt that the goalkeeper Manuel Neuer was to blame, claiming the man who went into the game looking like a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle owing to his unusually large green gloves was by 9.55pm, "a human-being again".